Offence

Prophet T.B. Joshua

From the genesis of creation to this present generation, there has been a common, rampant and general epidemic which has eaten into the fiber of our everyday relationship and no one is free from this, in spite of whom we are and rank/status we occupy in the society. This malady is present in every society, culture, race, tradition and religion. This common trap or deception used by the devil is known as OFFENCE. According to Luke 17: 1 “Then said he unto the disciples, it is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!” This implies that no matter whom we are, we must be offended, that is, offense must come; For It is impossible to live life without having the time and opportunity to be offended; it is not a question of opportunity to be offended but what your response will be. We should at all times forgive our offenders because Satan knows if our offences are not properly managed it can lead us to sin, that is we should let go of offence. Offence is the effective instrument used by Satan to blind us in our present condition, it is the use of negative words that registers in the heart of the offended, offence is not deadly but feeding on it in our heart makes it deadly. This could come in form of temptations because Satan uses our weaknesses as a bait to tempt us.

When Jesus Christ said on the cross of Calvary “Father Forgive Them”, the word “them” in this statement means both the offenders (those who crucified Him) and the offended (those who were hurt by his crucifixion and nursed the offence in their heart). Those who were offended due to the way Christ was unjustly treated by the people equally sinned just as those that were responsible for His crucifixion. Christ knew on the cross of Calvary that those who were for Him had unconsciously sinned by nursing offence in their heart, then, He quickly prayed to the Father to forgive them – the offender and offended. Offence is not yet a sin when it comes to the mind of the offended until it is nursed and fed upon, therefore making the offender and offended fall into this common trap. Focusing on ourselves is an effective instrument used by Satan to blind us on our present conditions, making us to question God: “why me of all this accusation and disappointments?” We automatically forget the reality of our condition.

Readers might want to question the essence of this write up but we ought to be conscious of the fact that this is an era of temptation. The devil and his cohorts are working effortlessly to make us fall short of God’s glory. This goes specifically to the sympathizers of the Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN), the family of the deceased in particular and the world at large that we should not get offended over what Prophet T.B. Joshua and his ministry are going through in the hands of their adversaries, thereby falling into sin; for it is a deceptive trap of the devil. We should never allow offence/hatred get hold of us because of the unjust judgment from the authorities and the uncalled criticism levied against the Prophet because if we do, we are as much of a sinner as those who criticize and indict the Prophet. We must let go of offence! Offence is very common due to lack of real love. We have almost come to believe that it is a way of life, the truth is our life is centered on how we are doing, feeling, and being treated for it is not all about us but JESUS.

The man of God, Prophet T.B. Joshua clearly understands this that is why he does not get offended nor react negatively when people criticize and accuse him without concrete fact and evidence. The Prophet was attacked (The SCOAN guest house building collapse), which was a trap from the devil to make him nurse offence in his heart, but as we all know, the Prophet is far from being offended but the scripture makes us understand that curse (woe) be unto those through whom the offence (attack) comes.

Unlike the authorities handling the case of the collapsed guest house at the SCOAN premises, the Prophet has neither abused nor threatened anyone because he knows these are traps from the devil to make him nurse offence thereby sin against God. When we concentrate or focus on what people do to us, we would end up losing focus on how to handle the situation or condition we find ourselves. Offence acted upon in the heart make one worry about what people do and this cripples our ability to think and exercise faith properly in our present condition. In other words, we cannot think of loving/hating, and think of destroying/caring for others at the same time.

When we apply this principle in our daily routine, we would find out that it is easier to let go of offence rather than nursing it in our hearts. Let us cite the story of Joseph and his brothers; if Joseph was unwilling to forgive the atrocities committed against him by his people, he could have not found himself in the position to aid them during the famine period; for he could not have hated and saved at the same time. Another biblical example concerning offence is cited in the book of Job; if Job had nursed the offence because of his friends’ ridicule and accusations against his faith as a result of his illness and misfortune, God would not have restored his lost wealth and health.

Offence is a common trap or deceptive measure that Satan uses to lure us into sin in order to rob us of our true Son-ship as children of GOD. Hence, this means that it is only when we feed on offence in our heart that it becomes deadly because whatever we conceive in our heart with time, metamorphosis and influences our habits and character in reality. An offence not properly handled can make a Christian possess or produce the fruit of the flesh according to Galatians 5:19-21.

Pray and say after Prophet T.B. Joshua– “By the authority in the name of Jesus, I release you from all hurts! I release you from deep hurts! I release you from whatever caused by offence- bitterness, jealousy, anger, pain in the past be released, in the name of Jesus Christ!!!! I command that spirit, every spirit offence might have caused in your life- jealousy, hatred, anger, inferiority, resentment, strifes, outrage. I release you, in the name of Jesus! Be released, in the name of Jesus! In Jesus Christ’s name I pray. Amen!!!”